Hi everyone! My name is Beatrice and I’m currently volunteering at the Joint Secretariat of IPA ADRION Programme in Bologna.
Just to give a glimpse of my host organization’s framework, IPA ADRION is a transnational cooperation programme which concentrates on the Adriatic-Ionian Region. The Programme brings together 10 Partner States in the area: four EU Member States (Croatia, Greece, Italy, and Slovenia), five non-EU Partner States (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) and one third country (San Marino).
My host institution, the Joint Secretariat, works closely with both applicants and beneficiaries from the 10 eligible countries. It assists applicants with funding opportunities and project applications, and beneficiaries in implementing their projects through monitoring and coordination activities.
As an IVY Reporter, my role is mainly focused on enhancing visibility and awareness regarding our Programme and the impacts of funded projects. Specifically, I support my team to increase our readers’ knowledge on the cooperation in the area by interviewing Lead Partners and writing articles for our website, attending events, and analyzing the presence of IPA ADRION funded projects on media.
These tasks are giving me the opportunity to talk to our beneficiaries and to get to the heart of the Programme, understanding the tangible impact of our projects on citizens’ daily lives, as well as the online perception of our initiatives.
Furthermore, every day I see how transnational cooperation can be a powerful tool for empowering the local level and its communities in the decision-making process. Its deep involvement ensures that the local level is not merely a level for applying innovation but takes center stage within the project. As a result, project actions are focused more effectively on real needs and local resources.
Being part of the IPA ADRION team is allowing me to see first-hand how cooperation works in a large Region, spanning across the Adriatic and Ionian Seas up to the Dinaric Mountains, rich in terms of biodiversity, cultural heritage, and economic activities. I can’t wait to see what activities await me in the coming months!
– Beatrice, IVY Reporter for the programme Interreg IPA Adrion
